Archive Page 2
October 6th, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
After approving $700 billion to bailout big banks for their poor business practices (did you see 60 Minutes last night?), has our government effectively taken away the excuse that we cannot afford something? We don’t seem too worried about going so far into debt that our children will still be paying it off so why not go all the way and make sure they have heath care while they are standing in line at the soup kitchens?
What else can we now get that we have always wanted but couldn’t afford? Paying for it shouldn’t be a problem, we can just print more. Just wondering….
October 5th, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
While the major theme of Senate challenger Joel Dykstra’s campaign has been focused on Tim Johnson avoiding debates with him, I must admit that another issue that Dykstra touched on in his latest ad has kind of made me think.
Much has been made by some, including recently Dykstra, of Tim Johnson being on the Senate Banking committee and voting against a bill in 2005 that would have placed tighter restrictions on the banking industry. While that may or may not have had much to do with our current crisis, his absence on local TV to discuss the issue is more concerning to me. Throughout the mortgage meltdown and the subsequent bailout votes by the House and Senate, our other Congressional leaders Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and John Thune have been quite visible discussing the issue as well as explaining why they voted the way they did.
Tim Johnson on the other hand has been physically invisible on the issue (at least in the stories I have seen, please correct me if I missed something) instead choosing to continue with his press release campaign that while trying to explain his position, just seems sterile and impersonal.
Am I asking too much by thinking Johnson should be speaking to me directly (via news interviews) on important issues? Maybe so but when I am getting ready to be bent over and take on another $1 trillion in debt, I would like a little verbal foreplay first no matter which way you are voting.
Update: Tim has been found. Thanks to commenter Mary for the links to the Johnson interviews
October 5th, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
After some research I have decided to upgrade the Wordpress built in comment system with an outside option called Disqus that seems to have quite a bit more functionality as well as options for me and the commenter.
For the commenter, you can:
- track and edit all your comments across all sites using Disqus (are you listening South Dakota blogosphere?)
- Reply to comments via email and cell phone
- Earn reputation with built in reputation system that stays with you on every site using Disqus (30,000 sites and growing)
- Start your own comment blog that collects and shows off your commenting prowess
For me Disqus promises:
- Threaded comments
- Comment ratings
- Strong comment spam and troll filters
- Email and phone moderation
Installation on Wordpress was a breeze requiring only the installation of a standard plugin and they also have support for most other blogging platforms including Blogger and Typepad. Finally you can easily import all your old comments so upgrading didn’t result in losing anything.
I’m going to put it through it’s paces for awhile so feel free to let me know what you think.
October 4th, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
Not being a hunter myself, seeing a big buck within Sioux Falls city limits just congers up thoughts of huge bodywork bills but hunters throughout eastern South Dakota are probably salivating thinking about getting their chance at this fellow.
October 3rd, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
Ok, this Sarah Palin look alike thing has gone too far. Tina Fey on SNL, Larry Flint’s worldwide search for a Palin porn look alike and now this.
October 3rd, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
What has the world come to when South Dakota’s 2 national Democrats vote like fiscal conservatives while our lone Republican votes for a pork laden Wall Street bailout bill? Stephanie Herseth Sandlin today joined fellow Democrat Tim Johnson, who vote nay a few days ago, when she was one of 171 that voted against the bailout. John Thune, our lone Republican voted for passage….
October 3rd, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
Google is the latest company to be in the crosshairs of the homophobic Campaign for Children and Families. They have called for the boycott in response to Google coming out in opposition to California’s Proposition 8 which would ban gay marriage.
Google now joins the likes of Levi’s, AT&T, McDonalds, and Disney as targets of various homophobic groups which has me wondering how long it will be before the followers of these groups will have no where left to go when they need “gay-free” goods and services.
But I guess in the grand scheme of homophobia, boycotting Google probably won’t mean much will it? Do homophobes really need or even use Google to search WorldNetDaily and OneNewsNow?
October 2nd, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
It looks like the Committee on House Administration has made it ok for House members to do what many had been doing already anyways, use outside websites like Twitter and YouTube to communicate with constituents.
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* Thursday, October 2, 2008 *FOR MORE INFORMATION,
Contact * Salley Collins, Press Secretary
(202) 225-8281 E-mail: salley.coll…@mail.house.gov
*Press Release:** * * * *Committee Adopts New Web Regulations * * *
*Committee on House Administration Adopts Proposal Permitting Members to Utilize * *Outside Websites to Communicate with Constituents * * * *WASHINGTON – *The Committee on House Administration adopted new web regulations that will permit Members to use outside websites like YouTube to communicate with constituents. The new regulations, which are based upon a proposal presented in June by GOP Members of the Committee, represent a vital step to providing new, uncensored channels of communication between Members of Congress and their constituents. The new web regulations, which were adopted via Committee poll, permit Members to post content on outside websites so long as the content is for “official purposes,” and not personal, commercial or campaign related. Ranking Republican Vern Ehlers, R-Mich., applauded Committee Chairman Robert Brady, D-Pa., for his leadership and ability to achieve policy agreements in a nonpartisan fashion. “Mr. Brady recognized the need to allow enhanced constituent communication, and demonstrated outstanding leadership that enabled this Committee to adopt a long-overdue change,” Ehlers stated. ”It is imperative that Members have the ability to use whichever web services they feel will best inform their constituents about the important issues facing this country.” * * For more information, please contact the Committee press office at (202) 225-8281. * *
October 1st, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
The right is worried. After the face to face debacle that was Sarah Palin’s interview with Katie Couric, the VP debate tomorrow against Joe Biden could make or break the McCain campaign. Several Conservative pundits have already questioned the Palin choice and a poor performance could open the floodgates.
So in a preemptive strike against what could be another Palin deer in the headlight moment, some are already questioning the choice for the debate moderator, Gwen Ifill, whom has a book hitting store shelves soon about the Obamasiah.
Responding to questions about PBS anchor/VP debate moderator/”Age of Obama”-proclaiming author Gwen Ifill’s conflicts of interest, a PBS spokeswoman huffed: “The book has been a known factor for months, so I’m not sure what the big deal is.”
It wasn’t a “known factor” to the McCain campaign. And it’s highly doubtful the American public would have been fully informed about Ifill’s Inauguration Day-timed Obama book before Thursday by PBS or Ifill or the Presidential Debate Commission.
So there you have it, if Palin tanks the right can blame Ifill, if she does well they can further add to the myth that is Palin by saying she overcame a partisan moderator. Either way, with such low expectations and barring a total collapse, Palin supporters are all but assured of an outcome in which they can claim victory.
September 30th, 2008 by Bob Schwartz
While we were all fixed on the the banking bailout shenanigans, the Senate passed another bailout when they approved $25 billion in taxpayer funded loans for US Automakers yesterday. Oh and the Democrats completed their total capitulation on offshore drilling at the same time…
Automakers gained $25 billion in taxpayer-subsidized loans and oil companies won elimination of a long-standing ban on drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as the Senate passed a sprawling spending bill Saturday.
The 78-12 vote sent the $634 billion measure to President Bush, who was expected to sign it even though it spends more money and contains more pet projects than he would have liked.